Page 54 - SST Class 06

bricks with layers of plaster. The stupa is crowned to travel. Hence, they needed the monasteries or
by a small square platform with a number of cave shelters only during the monsoons. But
umbrellas of stone. A fenced path called the gradually, many monks did not want to travel
pradakshina encloses the hemisphere. The long distances. They wanted to reside at one
monks and other offer prayers by going round place. Hence, several large monasteries came to
the stupa on this path. The most well-known are be built. The earliest monasteries were built of
stupas at Sanchi and Amaravati. The Sanchi wood. Later, bricks were also used for building
stupa has four gateways. monasteries. In western India, many monasteries
were dug out of rocky mountain. Often, a monas-
tery consisted of long rows of small cells or
rooms, each occupied by a monk.

Kings and traders frequently donated land for
constructing monasteries. They also gifted food,
clothing and medicines for the monks.
THE SYSTEM OF ASHRAMAS
The Ashramas or four stages of life were not well-
established in the Vedic Period, but became a
feature of social life around 600 BC. A person’s
life was divided into four stages. They were—
Stupa at Sanchi
Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha and
The Buddhists also erected chaitya grihas or
Sanyasa. During the Brahmacharya stage, they
prayer halls in Sanchi, Sarnath and other places . were expected to lead a selfless and simple life of
These are large halls, often built of brick and a student. A student would learn the Vedas at the
timber. Sometimes, the hall is circular in shape.
feet of a Guru. Then, he married and settled with
Many of the ancient chitya grihas housed a stupa
his wife and children–Grihastha stage. Then, after
a one corner.
50 years of age, he left his home and went to the
Viharas are monasteries where the Buddhist forests for meditation–Vanaprastha. The last
monks lived. In the initial stages, most Buddhist stage was the period of complete retirement from
monks wandered from place to place except the world. He gave up everything and became a
during the rainy season when it was very difficult wandering ascetic—Sanyasa.

Terminology

Internalisation : to accept or absorb an idea
Contemplation : the action of looking thoughtfully at something for a long time
Previleges : a special right
Propagate : spread and promote widely
Liberation : freedom from limits on thought or behaviour
Discourse : written or spoken communication or debate
Ascetic : self-disciplined

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